Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [612]
* * *
BOOK ACCOMMODATION ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews and recommendations by Lonely Planet authors, check out the online booking service at www.lonelyplanet.com. You’ll find the true, insider lowdown on the best places to stay on the island. Reviews are thorough and independent. Best of all, you can book online.
* * *
Caveat emptor: the global financial crisis has hit Irish tourism very hard and price structuring is not nearly as predictable as it was as recently as 2008. B&B rates have more or less remained steady since 2008 and many hoteliers – particularly at the upper end of the scale – are in a desperate struggle to stay alive. Consequently, they’re doing the previously unthinkable in an effort to sell rooms, slashing rates dramatically and offering a plethora of incentive deals to get you into their hotels: free add-ons like dinners and spa treatments are increasingly standard, as are ‘three nights for the price of two’ offers.
Rack rates at the top hotels are no longer to be trusted and the standard prices quoted on the brochure or the website have become increasingly pie-in-the-sky – it’s quite the norm these days to pay half the quoted rate in some of the country’s top properties, particularly out of season. The key, however, is to ask: when making a booking, don’t settle for the first rate quoted, and be sure to ask for a better deal. More often than not, you’ll get one.
Generally speaking, the majority of accommodation providers will still raise their rates during ‘special’ weekends – bank holidays or during major sporting events and festivals – when tourist numbers are their highest and hoteliers can take a breather from worrying about empty rooms. Expect to be charged anything up to 15% to 20% more than usual at these times.
* * *
PRACTICALITIES
Ireland uses the metric system for weights, measures, speed limits and most signposting, except for the old-style black-on-white signs which still use miles (as does Northern Ireland).
DVD players take Region 2 discs, as with the rest of Europe.
Electrical appliances use a three flat-pin socket and a 220V/50Hz AC power supply.
Get an insight into Irish life with one of the world’s best newspapers, the Irish Times, or Ireland’s biggest-selling Irish Independent.
Relish Irish political satire in the fortnightly magazine Phoenix, or brush up on current affairs in Magill magazine.
Check both sides of Northern Irish current affairs with Loyalist tabloid News Letter or the pro-Republican Irish News.
TV addicts should tune into Questions and Answers (RTE 1), a hard-hitting current affairs program on Monday nights, or catch a great documentary on TG4, the national Irish-language station (subtitles available).
Tune into RTE Radio One (88-90 FM or 252 kHz LW) for culture and politics; Today FM (100-102 FM) for pop, rock and alternative music; or Newstalk (106-108 FM) for music, chat and some current affairs.
* * *
In low season (November to March) you can simply drop in or ring ahead in rural areas. In peak season it’s best to book ahead. Fáilte Ireland (Irish Tourist Board) or the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) will book serviced (€5 to €13 booking fee, depending on the size of your party) or self-catering accommodation (€7 booking fee) through their booking system, Gulliver Ireland ( 066-9792030; www.gulliver.ie).
Much of the accommodation closes during Christmas and New Year, especially in rural areas.
B&Bs
The ubiquitous bed and breakfasts are small, family-run houses, farmhouses and period country houses with fewer than five bedrooms. Standards vary enormously, but most have some bedrooms with private bathroom at a cost of roughly €35 to €40 (£20 to £25) per person per night. In luxurious B&Bs, expect to pay €55 (£38) or more per person. Facilities in budget-range B&Bs may be very limited; TVs, telephones, kettles and the like are the trappings of midrange to top-end establishments, while the hand-held credit card machine is increasingly common (although don’t be surprised in remote rural areas if they insist on